The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stopped an Iranian with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from boarding a plane to enter the United States with Iran’s World Cup team on Saturday, according to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
The unidentified man was posing as the president of Iran’s soccer federation when he was prevented from boarding as the team prepared to fly from Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles for a World Cup match against Belgium at SoFi Stadium, Mullin told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” on June 22. “When we started doing the research on him, he had only been put in place since 2022, and we didn’t allow him to board the plane,” Mullin said, adding that the man had “direct ties to IRGC.”
The IRGC is a multi-branch paramilitary force that reports directly to Iran’s Supreme Leader and has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and more than a dozen other countries.
Iran’s football federation swiftly rejected the allegations. An official statement called Mullin’s claim an “outright lie” and described the allegations as “fabricated and entirely baseless,” according to ESPN. The federation did not provide details about the individual in question or explain the circumstances of the boarding attempt.
The incident marks the latest flashpoint in ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran over visa restrictions for Iran’s World Cup delegation. Earlier in June, the U.S. denied visas to 15 Iranian soccer federation members, according to reporting from ABC7 News. The DHS has cited national security and vetting concerns for the denials, while Iranian officials have accused the United States of discriminatory treatment.
Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, has criticized the travel restrictions as “unfair,” citing the challenges the team has faced entering and leaving the United States for matches. The Trump administration required Iran’s team to arrive in the U.S. only the day before each match and depart the same evening, forcing the squad to base itself in Tijuana rather than remaining in the country between games.
Mullin indicated he has held “multiple conversations” with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the restrictions but provided no additional details. The incident occurs amid broader U.S. security measures for the World Cup, which began June 12 and runs through July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Sources
- New York Post — DHS Secretary Mullin’s statement on Fox News about the Iranian stopped from entering the US with World Cup team
- ESPN — Iran’s football federation denial of the allegations
- ABC7 News — Confirmation of 15 Iranian soccer federation members denied US visas
- BNO News — DHS visa denial policy over IRGC ties
